Grill Mates “Grillerhood” Grill Tips contest
Nothing better than starting the week off with a contest! This contest is sponsored by my friends over at McCormick Grill Mates Grillerhood Facebook page, which I shared with you several days back. McCormick is sponsoring Cooking-Outdoors this summer with some great recipes, tips and today's contest. All of you are familiar with the constant flood of outdoor cooking tips I have shared with you these past four years, just a few thousand tips or so.
Here are a few tips I have shared in the past:
- When you position your beer-can chicken, form a stable tripod with its two legs and the bottom of the beer can.
- Use separate chopping boards, plates and utensils for handling raw and cooked foods.
- To reduce flare-ups when cooking parts ( of chicken) with skin, first trim off excess fat and second, keep the temperature lower.
- When grilling chicken strips, thread green onion pieces crosswise on the skewers followed by chicken strips. This adds flavor.
- Before you cook chicken, rub a wedge of lemon over it. The result will be a juicier, tenderer dish.
Perhaps you are noticing a trend here? Chicken! Possibly the number one question I receive is how to cook chicken on the grill. I have found that the majority of people that have trouble with their chicken is they cook it like hamburger, direct heat till it's burnt to a crisp and raw inside or drier than a 6 year old prairie pancake. The fans of Cooking-Outdoors.com are a wealth of outdoor cooking knowledge, perhaps some of the finest grillers around (IMHO).
You constantly share your recipe, pictures, tips and tricks for cooking everything imaginable outdoors and this time around, you will be able to win this great “Grillerhood” apron, grilling utensils and “Grillmates” seasonings! Compliments of the official “Grillerhood” facebook page.
Entering is very easy, just give me your best “Chicken” grilling tip, trick or rule to the following question:
“When grilling chicken pieces, success requires this One True Rule to grilling chicken pieces perfectly?”
Simply post your tip, trick or One True Rule in the comments section below or on the Cooking Everything Outdoors Facebook page. The winner with the best tip, to be determined this Friday AM (June 22, 2012), will have their tip, trick or One True Rule submitted to the “Grillerhood” for submission on their official Facebook page!
Good luck and bring on the Rules!!!
Coating meat with olive oil helps reduce burn on the grill
You take the chicken cut it down the center. Spread it apart. Cut it in half again. Cut the skin, spread it, an marinade it. Set grill to 250 degrees close the skin. Lay chicken on grill bone side down. Cook for 3 hours!! Great Chicken!!
If grilling chicken pieces using the indirect method, place a drip pan between your charcoal and pour a bottle (or two depending on the size) of an IPA (India Pale Ale) beer into the pan. The hoppier the better. The hop-a-licious aroma will help flavor the chicken and keep it moist, and compliment not overpower the rub or sauce.
Always have a small spray bottle of water on hand to put out flare ups.
Don’t bast your chicken from the same marinade your raw chicken was in. Keep some fresh marinade in a separate container for basting later.
To make tender, juicy chicken use a brine. Here is a great one that is very popular with the Chicken Cooking Greats!
O’reilly’s Smoked And Brined Chicken
2 whole chickens; (3 1/2 lb. each)
1 gallon water
3/4 cup salt
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried tarragon, thyme; and black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Wash birds inside and out. Put water in a large non-aluminum container, add
salt and sugar and stir to dissolve. Add soy sauce, tarragon, thyme and
pepper. Place birds in gallon zip lock bags and pour in brine to cover. Refrigerate overnight.
Remove birds from brine and wash inside and out. Pat dry.
Season with McCormacks Canadian Chicken Seasoning inside and out. Let the chicken sit for at least an hour in the refrigerator to rehydrate the spices.
Heat your grill to medium heat. Place
chickens, breast side down on the grill. Close the lid and grill the chicken for about 1/2 hour then flip and baste with olive oil, Continue to cook until internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 170F. Apply your favorite sauce during the last 15 minutes of cooking, serve and enjoy great moist and tender chicken.
I always make sure that the chicken is thawed AND at room temperature before grilling. Salt, pepper, and garlic are the base seasonings. Just as it is finishing, I add a sprinkle of honey.
I think the most important tip is to ensure your chicken pieces are all of even thickness this will prevent over or undercooking your chicken. To do this, I like to work with chicken breast halves that I will pound out to ensure they are all the same in thickness.
the best way is to thaw the chiecken then try to pull the skin and put the mckcormick grill mate season under the skin and on top of chicken plus if using charcol let it burnt untill is cover by a grey ash so the chicken dont burn,enjoy.
Always have a meat thermometer at hand to assure your chicken is at the proper temperature for serving. Cooking chicken to the proper temperature will help you to avoid food poisoning as well as cooking to the dry and overdone stage as well. 165 degrees is the recommended minimum internal temperature chicken should be cooked to. Check your thermometer packing for directions.
Do you have a good Cajun brew. Something extra spicy and packed full of flavor that you boil your crawdads or shrimp in. Fire up your brew and stew that chicken almost done and then proceed with your favorite rub on a smokin hot grill packed with apple and cherrywood. Wear some shades cause the juice will squirt you in your eye.
when I am preparing chicken for grilling when away from home camping: I prep the chicken the day I purchase it from the store. debone it, clean it etc. freeze it in ziploc bags with my favourite seasoning, herbs, marinade or BBQ sauce. It will act as an ice pak in the cooler and just when i need it, it is defrosted and ready to be thrown on the grill. 🙂
When I’m cooking chicken either grilling it hot and fast or bbqing low and slow, I’m always going to pull the bird at 145-155f internal temp. This way it’s safely cooked, melt in your mouth tender, and so juicy!
When grilling chicken, the ONLY time the meat should ever be pierced is when the temp probe is inserted. This will insure the maximum amount of natural juices remain in the meat.
Oops, noticed some spelling errors on previous post!!! New post:
Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel very well. This will help their skin crisp nicely.